The amount of bend you "should" be at
Posted , 12 users are following.
I had a chat with my physiotherapist last week and asked her about knee bend (is how we tend to refer to it here in Oz).
I asked her if we all need a bigger number and she said "no".
She said that some people just aren't going to get bigger numbers simply because of the size of the leg. eg - how can you make a knee go totally flat if you have big legs.
It's more about what can you do and practice things like getting out of chair with no hands, deep bends like squatting and mini squats. Balancing on one foot and rising on the ball of your foot etc. So don't focus on the numbers just do the practise.
In a nutshell - do the work and you'll be able to do more!
2 likes, 37 replies
CHICO_MARX cheryl86544
Posted
YES!!!! There is no "should"...everyone is different.
The docs and PTs all want to shoot for 0 straight and 120 bent. Do we all get there? Well...no. Lots of factors: age, weight, leg size, the amount of scar tissue that your body creates, your willingness to endure a lot of pain to break down that tissue, your willingness to keep up an exercise program to stay strong. Some people don't even get close and require MUAs.
I asked my PT about what goals there were for an 85-year old with a new knee. He said: "Get out of bed, go to the bathroom, take a shower, get to the kitchen, make a sandwich, go to the living room, watch TV, go to bed." That's it...no 0 / +120 or anything else...just having a decent quality of life. In the end, it's more about that than a number.
I'm 69 and 16+months post- op with a ROM of 0 / +133 that I really worked to get. I'm happy with what I did and glad it gives me the quality of life I want...but it's different for everyone...
j21370 cheryl86544
Posted
cheryl86544 j21370
Posted
I'm sorry j21370, I don't know how you can tell if you have adhesions/scar tissue, so I don't want to venture an opinion, hopefully tsw678 will shed some light on this.
I can tell you that my surgeon takes no notice of numbers. I saw him and a PT last week, and it was never about numbers. It was more to do with 'am I happy with what I can do' and a good talk about why I arrested in theatre. Also my GP never asks for numbers either. All of them can see how well I'm walking and how well I'm doing - that's it.
arizonaone j21370
Posted
Hi J21370
I can't speak for everyone but for me it is apparent that I have alot of scar tissue build up because after about 5 weeks of PT my ROM started to decrease and instead of feeling better after PT my leg/knee felt very stiff- like a wooden leg. Also it became more painful to bend . It was my doctor who felt the scar tissue was the problem and scheduled the MUA.
Also, as I have mentioned in previous posts I had 2 arthroscopys on the same knee which I am certain contributed to the buildup.
Again, everyone is different and only your doctor will be able to tell you whether the scar tissue is the problem.
jenny80029 cheryl86544
Posted
My surgeon did not even look at my leg when I saw him around the 4 month mark...bit of a delay in my six week check!😀😁😂😃 but NHS over stretched.,,I was fine as had lots of super physio input and was not worried about my knee. Anyway, the time was spent with me raving about how happy I was and saying how amazing it was to walk normally again. Which is true. I even have people who i know at church having to look twice because I am moving so differently! My whole body motion has changed and it is very liberating, I am working on my hips, shoulders and glutes (buttocks) now, as tensions and weak muscles from old way of walking are now obvious. I did work hard on getting my leg straight though, and continue to, because I had a 10 degree flexion deformity as well as vagus deformity before surgery and I know from experience how ,ugh difference it makes to the efficiency of walking if the leg can be straight. I don't know how I walked at all before the op. The difference is sooo great!
CHICO_MARX arizonaone
Posted
arizonaone CHICO_MARX
Posted
CHICO_MARX arizonaone
Posted
NO EXPECTATIONS!!! Be Zen: I'll be better when I'm better.
j21370 arizonaone
Posted
Thank you for addressing my question. I will ask my surgeon next week when I get to meet with him. However, at 2 months my bend was 118 and flexion was 2. I continued with my PT and the exercises at home. My mother became very ill and I asked the surgeon if I could get in a plane to go see my mother. The surgeon ok the trip. When I got to NY my knee was very stiff the doctor has given me another PT script to continue with the PT in NY. However, I needed to go to a doctor and have the script for the PT rewritten by a doctor in NY. I was lucky that I knew an orthpedic surgeon and he just gave me the script. All that took 5 days. My first day eith the Physical Therapist I was told that my bend was 90. I was shocked how can be go from 120 to 90 in 5 days and grant you still doing the exercises. Well since The end of December to March I have 50 PT sessions. I work very hard at the gym, but I can't get the bend more than 110. I went yo see the
j21370
Posted
I wish we could back if we press a wrong button. Continuation to Arizonaone. I went to see my surgeon on January 26th and he broached the idea of doing a manipulation. But he did not really forced the issue he said you could go back to PT or I can bend your knee under asthesia. I choice to go back to PT. I think that's where I went wrong. I did not know anything about manipulations. The following week I joined this forum and is here where I have seen things more clear and became more educated on TKR. Again, thank you. J-21370
cheryl86544
Posted
Please note I am not a medical person at all, I'm passing on information that was given to me. I'm not encouraging / discouraging anything. I'm saying how it's been for me. I hope that's a given.
margaret02114 cheryl86544
Posted
Thanks for the advice Chery, I'm also from OZ South Australia to be exact. I had my surgery In the Repatriation Hospital which is closing about September, I haven't got ba clue where I'll go for my 12monthly checkup, just have to wait and see if I get a call from someone.
cheryl86544 margaret02114
Posted
I hope so too Margaret. It was just a brief chat with the surgeon at that stage for me, even though I was still getting quite a bit of pain, but it doesn't concern me too much. Any chance you can see a surgeon privately who doesn't charge an arm and a leg?
margaret02114 cheryl86544
Posted
I was considering that, but I'm going to Brisbane for a few weeks to visit my son, and hoping that the warm sun might help. When I get back I'll look around to find someone I can trust. Google is wonderful.
tsw678 cheryl86544
Posted
The 0 to 120 of course is what is considered normal and are the bench marks for good, normal functioning. And while not everyone gets back to those numbers, in the PT and drs world's, those numbers are what we shoot for for a couple of reasons.
It's not JUST about day to day functioning - getting up and out of a chair, going up and down stairs etc etc, - but it's also about the overall toll that the limited range of movement takes on the body.
The lack of movement and mobility at one joint has a significant impact on every other joint and muscle in the body, because everything is connected. Walking with a limp - because of limited knee movement - will put added stress on the low back and then on the other hip and knee, and even on the spine and shoulders and neck - which will lead to pain in one or more of these other joints of the body.
We clinicians know it's not easy. We do, however, try and do what we think is the best thing for the people we work with, not just short term, but for the long term also.
cheryl86544 tsw678
Posted
Thanks so much tsw678, I appreciate you taking the time and trouble. And I'm sure as does everyone else!
jenny80029 tsw678
Posted